Broncos announce QB Zach Wilson will wear No. 10, hours before drafting QB Bo Nix, who had No. 10 at Oregon

ENGLEWOOD -- The Broncos took Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the No. 12 pick in Thursday night's NFL draft, but he might not get to wear his college No. 10.

The Broncos had announced earlier in the day that quarterback Zach Wilson, who wore No. 2 with the New York Jets before being acquired Tuesday, will wear No. 10. Of course, there's always a chance Wilson could agree to switch to another number.

The Broncos also announced Thursday that quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who wore No. 4 for them last season, has changed to No. 8. Stidham wore that number in college at Auburn.

Broncos coach Sean Payton said Nix, Wilson and Stidham "are all going to compete to start." Nix wore No. 10 the past two years at Oregon and at Auburn for three years before that.

Payton was pleased with the trade for Wilson, who was taken with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft before struggling in three seasons with the Jets.

"We were happy to bring Zach on board,'' Payton said. "There were a number of veteran backups that signed contracts (as free agents) and yet we saw talent with a player who just three years ago was the number two pick. We really like his traits."

Payton said the Broncos had been talking to the Jets since around the start of April about the possibility of acquiring Wilson.

"It could have very well have been three weeks ago,'' Payton said of the deal being made. "We knew we wanted to add to the room and I think I said that much even (last month at the NFL) owners meetings and I feel we really liked that opportunity."

More numbers announced

The Broncos officially announced that kicker Wil Lutz has changed from No. 16 to No. 3. The Denver Gazette reported last month that Lutz would take over No. 3 from quarterback Russell Wilson, who was released. 

Other Denver players to have changed numbers are outside linebacker Baron Browning (from 56 to 5), cornerback Riley Moss (from 37 to 21), safety Caden Sterns (from 30 to 23), center Alex Forsyth (from 76 to 54) and wide receiver Phillip Dorsett (from 13 to 4). 

Aside from Zach Wilson, these are the numbers assigned to new Broncos players: wide receiver Josh Reynolds (13), safety Brandon Jones (22),  defensive back Tanner McCallister (30), cornerback Levi Wallace (39), linebacker Cody Barton (55), center Sam Mustipher (61), guard Calvin Throckmorton (76), tackle Matt Peart (79) and defensive linemen Rashard Lawrence (92), Angelo Blackson (94) and Malcolm Roach (97). 

Reynolds, Denver's most decorated free-agent signee, wore No. 8 last season for Detroit. 

Wallace gets half of salary guaranteed 

Wallace got about half his one-year contract guaranteed with the Broncos. 

The cornerback on Monday signed a deal that will pay him in 2024 a minimum base salary of $1.125 million. He got $500,000 of that guaranteed and received a $167,500 signing bonus, making his total guarantee $667,500 out of $1.2925 million. 

The Broncos used the veteran salary benefit on Wallace, a six-year veteran. So, he counts $1.1525 million on the 2024 salary cap. 

Scheffler to announce pick

Former Broncos tight end Tony Scheffler will announce their third-round draft pick Friday night in Detroit.

Scheffler played for the Broncos from 2006-09. He is a native of Morenci, Mich., played in college at Western Michigan, and finished his NFL career with the Detroit Lions from 2010-13.

The Broncos enter Friday with no second-round pick and have the No. 76 selection in the third round. If they make a trade, Scheffler would call their first pick on Friday, which is when the second and third rounds are held.